Hopper car door actuating and locking mechanism



June 2, 1970 DAMY 3,515,07

HOPPER CAR DOOR ACTUATING AND LOOKING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L L U June 2, 1970 E. M. DAMY 3,515,075

HOPPER CAR DOOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1968 I 5 SheetsSheet 2 HOPPER CAR DOOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 6, 1968 E. M. DAMY June 2, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet S [/lm WW; f

United States Patent O 3,515,075 HOPPER CAR DOOR ACTUATING AND LOCKING MECHANISM Eduardo M. Damy, Apartado Postal 2041, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico Filed Sept. 6, 1968, Ser. No. 757,880 Int. Cl. B61d 7/02, 7/06, 7/18 US. Cl. 105-249 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is concerned with a mechanism for simultaneously locking and opening two, three or four sets of discharge doors on a hopper car, at least two sets of which are adjacent and open towards each other.

An object of this invention is a door actuating mechanism which can be adapted to hopper cars having two, three or four sets of discharge doors.

Another object is a door actuating mechanism which locks in an over-center position.

Another object is a locking mechanism which also functions as a door opening mechanism.

Another object is a locking and door actuating mechanism which can be opened by continuous rotation of the door actuating rod.

Other objects may be found in the following specification, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevational view of a hopper car embodying the novel features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing the discharge doors of the hopper car in their open positions;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the hopper car of FIG. 1 with parts omitted for clarity and others shown in phantom;

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevational view of the door arm assembly on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the assembly of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial view of the hopper door locking and actuating mechanism of this invention shown in the open position;

FIG. 8 is a partial view similar to that of FIG. 7 but showing the locking and actuating mechanism in the closed position;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side elevational view of a pivot member; and

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the pivot member of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a railway hopper car of the type with which the door actuating and locking mechanism of this invention may be used. Such a hopper car is equipped with three sets of discharge chutes, two of which are oppositely disposed. The third set of chutes discharges toward the center of the car or, in other words, toward the two sets of chutes. This mechanism may be adapted to operate the doors of a fourth set of chutes if the fourth set is located at the opposite end of the car from the third set and faces towards the third set. The chutes may be arranged side by side in pairs as is shown in FIG. 3. The discharge openings of these chutes are inclined to vertical and are closed by doors 11 hinged to the discharge chutes along the top edges of the chutes.

The doors are held closed and are simultaneously opened by means of an arm assembly 13. This assembly is most clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 and includes an arm 15 journalled on an operating rod 17 which in turn is journalled to one set of oppositely disposed doors 11 by means of sleeve members 19 attached to an angle iron 20 which is attached to the doors. Angle iron 20 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In this embodiment, each arm 15 is made'of two flat portions 21 which are spaced apart with each portion hav ing a tubular sleeve 23 formed at one end thereof; the sleeves being adapted to receive the operating rod 17. A second arm 25 of I-shaped cross section is pivotally connected at one end to the other doors 11 of the sets of oppositely disposed doors by means of an angle iron 26. The opposite end of this second arm fits between the flat portions 21 of the arm 15 and is pivotally connected thereto by a pivot pin 27. The pivot pin 27 fits through openings 29 (FIG. 6) formed in the arm portions 21. The pivotal connection between the arm 25 and the doors 11 includes a member 31 which is rigidly aflixed to the arm 25 and which is journalled in a tubular sleeve 33 alfixed to a pad 35. The pad 35 is attached to the angle iron 26, which is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

The third set of doors 11 is operatively connected to the sets of oppositely disposed doors by an extension arm 37 also of I-shaped cross section. This arm is bent intermediate its length into a somewhat S-shape, as is most clearly shown in FIG. 4. One end of the extension arm is 0 connected to the arm 25 by means of a stub arm 39 with the stub arm being rigidly connected to the arm 37 and pivotally connected to the arm 25 by means of a pivot pin 41. The opposite end of the extension arm 37 is connected to its discharge doors 11 by means of a member 31 which is rigidly connected to the arm and journalled in a tubular sleeve 33. The tubular sleeve is attached to a pad 35 which is fastened to an angle iron 42 attached to the doors 11. It should be noted, as is most clearly shown in FIG. 3, that the extension arm 37 passes between the discharge chutes of each set and under the center structural member 43 of the hopper car. If a fourth set of discharge chutes and doors are provided, another extension arm leading to these doors would be pivotally connected to the operating rod 17.

The door locking and actuating mechanism 44 of this invention is most clearly shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. *This mechanism includes pairs of flat, elongated members 45 and 47. Each member 45 has a sleeve portion 49' at one end thereof to receive the operating rod 17 and is keyed thereto. The members 45 are positioned outwardly of and on opposite sides of the arm portions 21. They are held together by means of a stirrup 53 which extends across the tops of the arm portions. The stirrup is connected to the members 45 by bolts 55 which extend 5 through the stirrup and into the members.

blocks 59 which 'fit into channels 61 formed on opposite sides of the arm by the flanges 63 of the arm. The slide blocks are pivotally attached to the members 47 by means of pivot pins 65. The members 47 are held in spaced relation to each other and in the channels 61 by means of a stirrup 67 which extends under the arm 25. The stirrup is connected to the members 47 by bolts 69.

The end portions of pivot pins 57, which extend into the arm portions 21, are flattened on opposite sides to form keys 70 of non-circular configurations having arcuate surfaces 71 and straight surfaces 72. See FIGS. 9 and 10. The arm portions 21 have openings 73 extending therethrough with a portion 75 of each opening having a cross-section similar to the non-circular cross-section of the key 70 of the pivot pin 57. The opening portion 75 is bounded by straight parallel walls 76 and an arcuate wall 77, as shown in FIG. 6. The key portions 70 of the pivot pins fit into the non-circular portions 75 of the openings 73 to provide a lock between the arm portions 21 and the members 45 and 47. In this engagement, as viewed in FIG. 8, the straight surfaces 72 of the key portions 70 engage the straight walls 76 of the opening portions 75 thereby preventing rotation of the pivot pins 57. The openings 73 also have portions 78 of circular cross-section located above the non-circular portions as viewed in FIGS. 6 and 8 of the drawings. The arcuate surfaces 71 of the pivot pins 57 have the same diameters as the circular portions 78 of the Openings so that the pivot pins can rotate when positioned in the circular portions of the openings. The pivot pins 57 are aflixed to the members 47 and are journalled in the members 45 to permit pivoting of the members 45 and 47 when the key portions 70 of the pivot pins 57 are positioned in the circular portions 78 of the openings 73.

The ends of the operating rod 17 have sleeves 81 keyed thereto with each sleeve having a tab 83 to fit a lever to assist in rotation of the operating rod.

The use, operation and function of this invention are as follows:

When the doors of the hopper car are closed, as shown in FIG. 1, the arm assembly 13 is in the position shown in FIGS. 4, and 8. The locking and actuating members 45 and 47 are extended, as are the arms 15 and 25. The pivot pins 57 connecting the members 45 and 47 have their key portions 70 of non-circular cross-section seated in the lower and non-circular portions 75 of the openings 73 in the arm portions 21. This locates the members 45 and 47 in an overcenter position, most clearly seen in FIG. 8, in which the members 45 and 47 are locked against folding about the pivot pins 57. The pivot pins 57 are held in this position by the weight of the members 45 and 47 and the stirrups 53 and 67. The door connecting arms 15 and 25 are therefore locked in their extended positions and the doors 11 are held in their closed positions.

When the operating rod 17 is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 8, the locking and actuating members 45, which are keyed thereto, will pivot in a clockwise direction. However, the arm portions 21 which are journalled on the operating rod will remain stationary. When the rod 17 is rotated sufficiently, the key portions 70 of the pivot pins 57 will be lifted out of the non-circular portions 75 of the openings 73 of the arm portions 21 and the arcuate surfaces 71 of the pivot pins 57 will engage the circular portions 78 of the openings 73 so that the pivot pins 57 will be free to rotate and thereby allow the members 45 and 47 to fold. When the key portions 70 are seated in the circular openings 73 and rotated so that their straight surfaces 72 are moved out of alignment with the straight walls 76 of the opening portions 75, the locking and adjusting members 45 and 47 will not return to their locked position unless the operating rod is rotated in the direction of its at rest position.

Continued rotation of the operating rod 17 in a clockwlse direction will bring about lifting of the operating arm portions 21 thereby lifting the pivotal connection 27 between the arms 15 and 25. Rotation of the arms 15 and 25 about the pivotal connection 27 will continue untildthe arms are in the folded position shown in FIGS. 2an 7.

It will be noted that the arms 15 and 25 will fold, permitting the arm 25 to move to the right as viewed in the drawings. Movement of the arm 25 to the right permits the arm 37 to move to the right, thereby opening the third sets of doors 11.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that the door actuating apparatus of this invention permits the simultaneous opening of all of the doors of a hopper car by the rotation of a single operating rod. Further, this rod can be actuated from either side of the car. Also, the locking mechanism securely keeps the doors in a closed position because of its over-center action and the engagement of the non-circular portions of its pivot pins with the non-circular portions of the openings in the arm portions 21. The invention can be easily adapted to a hopper car having only two sets of opposed discharge doors by removing the extension arm 37.

Whereas the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it should be understood that there are many modifications and changes that can be made without departing from the teachings of the invention. Therefore, the scope of this invention should not be limited to the preferred embodiment shown herein.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway hopper car, in combination with a car body, a hopper, at least a pair of oppositely disposed discharge chutes at the bottom of the hopper, each discharge chute having an opening inclined to the vertical, a door for closing each discharge chute along the upper edge thereof to swing toward the other door of its pair upon opening, and means for simultaneously opening and closing said doors, including:

(a) a pair of arms,

(b) each arm of said pair having one end pivotably connected to a respective one of said doors and an opposite end pivotally connected to the other arm, with said. arms being generally horizontally disposed in their extended positions relative to each other when the doors are closed,

(c) the pivotal connection of one of said arms to one of said doors including a pivot rod journalled to said arm and to said door with said rod having means at one end thereof for rotation thereof, and

(d) a locking assembly including a first member rigidly connected at one end to said pivot rod and a second member attached at one end to said other of said arms for sliding movement along the length thereof with said locking members pivotally connected at their opposite ends to each other by a pivot pin having a portion of non-circular cross-section extending laterally beyond said members,

(c) said first arm having an opening formed therein intermediate the ends thereof and with said opening adapted to receive the pivot pin, said opening having a lower portion of non-circular cross-section similar to said non-circular cross-sectional portion ofv said pivot pin and an upper portion of circular cross-section adapted to receive said pivot pin and to 7 permit rotation of said pivot pin relative to said first arm.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that an extension arm is pivotally connected to said other of said arms and to a third set of discharge chute doors.

3. I In a railway hopper car, in combination with a car body, a hopper, at least a pair' of oppositely disposed discharge chutes at the bottom of the hopper, each discharge chute having an opening inclined to the vertical, a door for closing each discharge chute, each door being hinged to its discharge chute along the upper edge to swing away from its chute upon opening, arms pivotally connected to the doors and to each other, and means for locking and simultaneously opening said doors including an operating rod, a pair of actuating members pivotally connected to each other With one end of one member connected to said operating rod and one end of the other member mounted to slide along one of said operating arms with the pivotal means between said members including at least one pivot pin adapted in one position to engage the other of said operating arms to lock said means against rotation and adapted in another position to engage said arm to lift said arm while permitting rotation of said pivot means.

4. The structure of claim 3 further characterized in that said means for locking said pivotal means against rotation includes non-circular portions formed on said pivot pins and complementary non-circular openings formed in said arm and adapted to receive said non-circular portions of said pivot pins.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1902 Muller 105247 3/ 1904 Johnson 105-290 5/1905 Kiesel 105-290 XR 6/1918 Hillman 105288 XR 11/1918 Kestler 105290 XR 6/1965 Ortner 105290'XR 9/1969 Damy 105-290 XR DRAYTON E. HOFFMAN, Primary Examiner H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

